December 17, 2024
Community Development
DATE: December 17, 2024
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager Community Services
Lina Velasco, Director of Community Development
Subject:
Acceptance and Appropriation of Hellman Foundation
Grants
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The Hellman Foundation is providing the City of Richmond two $250,000 grants to support two distinct projects that would offset costs incurred by the General Fund.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
In October 2024, the Community Development and
Community Services Departments submitted two separate
applications to the Hellman Foundation furthering the goals of the Richmond Park Equity Program. Staff is seeking
Council authorization to execute the required grant
agreement and to appropriate the grant funds for the
respective projects.
RECOMMENDED
ACTION:
ADOPT a Resolution accepting and appropriating two
$250,000 Hellman Foundation grants received by the City to support the development of an asset management system
for parks and recreation centers, and supporting the design development of the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center – Community Development Department (Lina Velasco 510-
620-6841/LaShonda White 510-620-6828).
AGENDA
REPORT
December 17, 2024
DISCUSSION:
Over the past year, the Hellman Foundation has been partnering with Rich City Rides, PlaceWorks, the Trust for Public Land and the RichPEP Advisory Group to build a community-driven investment strategy and understand opportunities for systemic impact in Richmond.
The Richmond Park Equity Project (RichPEP) is building a Black and Brown resident- led movement for park equity as a collaborative effort of community organizations, residents, parks and open space advocates, private philanthropy, the City of Richmond, and technical experts to ensure that parks in Richmond, California are vibrant, diverse, safe, and well-maintained. Parks should be accessible for everyone within a short distance of where they live.
The City was invited to submit a proposal that would further the RichPEP vision. The City submitted two proposals that were awarded.
Summary of Richmond’s Proposed Grant Projects
The Asset Management project will fund a technical inventory of park assets and recreation center facility assets followed by creation and refinement of an asset management tool with the parks and recreation center data collected. The asset management tool will coordinate with City budgeting processes and enable resident- submitted maintenance needs.
The MLK Community Center and Park Plan Update project will fund a renewed effort to rebuild the MLK Community Center, including a comprehensive community outreach and design process to ensure the center meets the current needs of residents. By re- engaging the community and updating building plans to the 35% completion mark, the City will then be well-positioned to seek private and public sector funding to complete the project. The Trust for Public Land will support with community outreach work, specifically as it relates to the use and programming of the adjacent park.
Staff is seeking Council approval to accept and execute the required grant agreements with the Hellman Foundation, and to appropriate the funds once executed.
SYNERGISTIC POLICIES:
The proposed grant projects would support the following Council adopted goals and policies in the General Plan 2030:
Goal PR 2: Safe and High-Quality Parks and Recreational Facilities Provide safe, high-quality, distinctive parks that support secure places for social interaction, community identity, beauty and livability. Base park designs on the unique cultural, historic and environmental setting of an area so that each park is distinctive.
Promote safety and activate parks by programming for broad appeal, encouraging
December 17, 2024
flexible spaces to accommodate a wide range of experiences and utilizing natural and technological surveillance measures.
PR1.3 Equitable Distribution of Park and Recreation Facilities Expand park and recreation opportunities in all neighborhoods and ensure that they are offered within comfortable walking distance of homes, schools and businesses in order to encourage more physically and socially active lifestyles. Continue to implement the parkland development standard of three acres of community or neighborhood parkland per 1,000 population in each neighborhood planning area. This represents a minimum provision which should be exceeded whenever possible. In established neighborhoods where land availability for new large parks is limited, prioritize improvement and maintenance of compact parks, play lots and plazas to increase access to recreation opportunities for residents. Encourage developers to meet the City’s park development standard within their proposed development projects.
Policy PR 3.2 Equitable Maintenance and Renovation
Provide equitable park maintenance, renovation and upgrading funding across planning areas. Provide a high standard of ongoing maintenance, renovation and upgrading of City parks and recreation facilities. Prevent deterioration and ensure that facilities continue to serve community needs. Ensure that the development of new parks does not jeopardize ongoing maintenance of existing parks.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center and Park Plan update to serve the surrounding neighborhoods including Santa Fe and Coronado neighborhoods is identified in the adopted Richmond Resilience Road Map, and a key component of the larger Nystrom United Revitalization Effort.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Grant Agreement – Martin Luther King Jr. Center and Park Design Attachment 3 – Grant Agreement – Asset Management System